


Lie Awake and Dream of the Endless Possibilities

by CaptainAwesome242



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Ambition, Career, Character Study, Child Prodigy, Childhood, Dreams, Elementary School, Enterprise, Gen, Growing Up, High School, Middle School, Plans For The Future, Pre-Five Year Mission, Prodigy, School, Starfleet Academy, Starship Enterprise (Star Trek)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-12 09:14:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7929121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainAwesome242/pseuds/CaptainAwesome242
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look at Pavel's dream careers as he grows up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lie Awake and Dream of the Endless Possibilities

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the song 'Guts' by All Time Low

When Pavel was five, his teacher asked his class what they wanted to be when they grew up. Most of the answers were typical of what you would expect from a bunch of five year olds; such as princesses and superheroes. But not Pavel. No, Pavel proudly announced to his classmates his ambition to be an Accountant.

Math was his favourite and best subject. He could, and often did, sit and solve the problems and equations for hours, even those at a much higher level than his peers. The thought of doing math as his _job_ and getting _paid_ for it was the most exciting news ever!

His classmates hadn’t agreed. They had laughed at boring Pavel for wanting to do a boring job. To them math was the worst thing imaginable, second only to vegetables. It was _homework_ , and who wanted to do _homework_ as a career?

The teacher had attempted to quiet the children and inform them that being an Accountant was probably very exciting and there was nothing wrong with that, but the damage was done. The kids had already laughed and jeered.

Though Pavel was hurt by this he decided to ignore them. What did they know? They couldn’t do math half as well as he could, of course they wouldn’t understand about wanting to do it as a job. They could keep their mermaids and brave knights; he was going to get a real and amazing job.

...

When Pavel was seven, his teacher asked his class what they wanted to be when they grew up. The answers were only slightly more realistic, such as rock stars and cowboys. Once again, Pavel’s answer was not related in any way to theirs. This time, he wanted to be an Engineer.

As his school career had progressed, Pavel had discovered that he also had an affinity for the sciences, especially physics and chemistry. They were both very math dependant, and Pavel loved that he could combine his two favourite subjects in that way. To be an Engineer, you needed to be good at math and physics, and Pavel could do both!

The only trouble was that the teacher had asked that they dress up as what they wanted to be. Cowboys and astronauts were easy, but how did one dress as an Engineer? Pavel had asked his Papa, who also hadn’t known, so he had gone to school in his usual clothes. The other kids had laughed saying that he’d forgotten, or that he didn’t want to be anything.

The teacher had taken pity and had tried to help him, giving him one of the toy screwdrivers from the play box. But this wasn’t right, Pavel didn’t want to be a mechanic, he wanted to be an Engineer! The kids had laughed at him, and had ignored his little presentation.

Pavel was upset, but also more determined. He would show them, when he became the best Engineer in the World!

...

When Pavel was nine, his teacher asked his class what they wanted to be when they grew up. As Pavel had been accelerated through school, all of his classmates were older than him. They had all wanted to be Journalists, Starship Captains, and Presidents. As for Pavel, he wanted to be a Stellar Cartographer. He wanted to plot and chart the stars on a Starship.

Living in a rather small village in the middle of Russian farmland, there was very little light pollution and at night the sky was truly a sight to see. Stars, constellations and nebulas could be seen across the entire navy canvas of the night. And Pavel had fallen in love.

While he was still very skilled in science and physics, math was still his strongest and favourite subject and would be vital to his career in Stellar Cartography.

The others had scoffed, who wanted to be an Ensign when you could be the _Captain_. Sitting and counting stars would be a long and boring job, but they supposed someone had to do it, and why not quiet little Pavel.

Pavel was quiet, it was true, but he found it hard to relate to people who were both more mature and less mature than him simultaneously. He kept to himself and solved his math problems, dreaming of the stars.

He would get out there, and he would show them.

...

When Pavel was thirteen, his teacher asked his class what they wanted to be when they left school. Of course, having skipped many years of school, he was about to graduate and the question he had spent all these years answering was suddenly a lot more relevant. But this by no means meant that he didn’t have an answer.

No, he knew full well that he was going to be the Navigator of a Starship.

Being the Navigator he could combine his three favourite things in the world: math, physics, and the stars. It was absolutely perfect for him!

His classmates had been less than supportive, telling him he was too young, and too small, and besides didn’t you need to speak English to join Starfleet?

Pavel knew everyone underestimated him, but they were partly right. The usual age of entry into Starfleet was eighteen, but he was sure he could convince them with his abilities in math and physics. The only trouble would be the English; he couldn’t speak a single word of the language. Still, he did not let this deter him and after he left school he worked for his Papa on the farm and took online lessons in English. It was difficult, and he had trouble with the pronunciation at times, but he largely had a good grasp over the language.

...

When he was fourteen, he applied for entry into Starfleet and was asked to attend an interview. Pavel was nervous, but he sucked it up and spoke the best English he could with the polished man behind the desk.

The man with the greying hair, who had introduced himself as Captain Pike, listened patiently as Pavel slowly and precisely answered. For the first time in his life, Pavel wasn’t dismissed or patronised because of his age, Captain Pike asked him difficult and relevant questions which Pavel was perfectly capable of answering.

He was also provided with some ‘complex’ equations, which he near enough completed with his eyes shut.

He was offered a place in Starfleet, on the condition that he also take an extra class in English to help remove the language barrier which, in Captain Pike’s opinion, would be the only thing to hold him back.

...

When Pavel was seventeen he became Ensign Chekov, Chief Navigator aboard the Starship Enterprise. He had surpassed the expectations of his lecturers and had graduated a year early. He was making leaps and bounds with his English, his accent only a problem a from time to time.

He was vital in the defeat of Nero and played a major part in saving the Earth. He got to keep his place aboard the Enterprise and continue with his dream job. He was exactly where he wanted to be.

...

Sometimes he wonders where his classmates ended up, whether any of them achieved their dream goals. In the end he decides he doesn’t care, after all they only put him down and underestimated him. Now he works with a big family of people who care about him and treat him equally, why wonder about anyone else?


End file.
